This is the blog of Brian Long, Windows, Mac & mobile trainer, trouble-shooter and consultant.

Monday, 17 September 2012

Windows 8 keystrokes

If you’re an old school computer user then whilst getting the hang of Windows 8 you’ll bump into a whole heap of keystrokes that will help make it dance to your tune. Here’s the list of useful keystrokes I’ve found that work in Windows 8, for when you get around to upgrading from Windows 7 (the shortcut keys for that are listed here).

Note that this table uses the Windows key (or WinKey) character (ÿ). Since Unicode has no character for this image I’m explicitly referencing Microsoft’s WingDings font character 255 so it probably looks all yucky a Mac, given Macs don’t have the WingDings font available by default.

Some of the shortcut keystrokes have been redefined since Windows 7. For example the desktop peek keystroke was ÿ+Space but has now been re-mapped as ÿ+, and ÿ+Space now means something else. Also, ÿ+Space no longer invokes the Windows Mobility Centre but displays the Quick Link menu instead.

Also, some keystrokes have gone, such as ÿ+G, which is no longer required thanks to Windows Gadgets not being supported by Windows 8.

Shortcut

aka

Meaning

Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Invoke Task Manager or whatever replacement you might have installed, such as Process Explorer from SysInternals

Alt+Tab

Cycle through "Metro" (Windows 8) and desktop apps

Alt+Shift+Tab

Cycle through "Metro" (Windows 8) and desktop apps in reverse order

Alt+Esc

Switch to next desktop app in Alt+Tab list

Alt+Shift+Esc

Switch to previous desktop app in Alt+Tab list

ÿ+B

WinKey+b

Give focus to Task Bar’s notification area so arrow keys can move between notification icons, Enter can select them (like clicking them with the mouse), Shift+F10 can show context menu, Shift+Tab can move focus to notification area etc.

ÿ+C

WinKey+c

Display the Charms bar. Equivalent to moving the mouse to the right edge of the screen or swiping in from the right edge of the screen.

ÿ+D

WinKey+d

Toggle show desktop

ÿ+E

WinKey+e

Windows Explorer

ÿ+F

WinKey+f

Open Search Charm and do a search on Files

ÿ+H

WinKey+h

Open Share Charm

ÿ+I

WinKey+i

Open Settings Charm

ÿ+J

WinKey+j

Switch the main app and snapped app

ÿ+K

WinKey+k

Open Devices Charm

ÿ+L

WinKey+l

Lock workstation

ÿ+M

WinKey+m

Minimise all desktop app windows

ÿ+Shift+M

WinKey+Shift+m

Restore all desktop app windows

ÿ+O

WinKey+o

Lock device orientation

ÿ+P

WinKey+p

Invoke the presentation menu to allow options of displaying on computer only, duplicating to external display, extending to external display or displaying on external display only

ÿ+Q

WinKey+q

Open Search Charm and do a search on Apps

ÿ+R

WinKey+r

Run a command

ÿ+T

WinKey+t

Give focus to Task Bar so arrow keys can move between Task Bar items, Enter can select them (like clicking them with the mouse), Shift+F10 can show context menu, Tab can move focus to notification area etc. Repeated presses of the keystroke cycles through the buttons on the Task Bar

ÿ+U

WinKey+u

Windows Ease of Access Centre

ÿ+V

WinKey+v

Cycle through notifications

ÿ+Shift+V

WinKey+Shift+v

Cycle through notifications in reverse order

ÿ+W

WinKey+w

Open Search Charm and do a search on Settings

ÿ+X

WinKey+x

Opens Quick Link menu

ÿ+Z

WinKey+z

Show app commands. Equivalent to right-clicking a general area of the application.

ÿ+Break

WinKey+Break

Windows System properties

ÿ+F1

WinKey+F1

Windows help

Prt Sc

Print Screen

Copy a screenshot to the clipboard

Alt+Prt Sc

Alt+Print Screen

Copy a screenshot of just the focused window to the clipboard

ÿ+Prt Sc

WinKey+Print Screen

Save a screenshot as a PNG in logged on user’s My Pictures folder

ÿ+Tab

WinKey+Tab

Cycle through "Metro" (Windows 8) apps

ÿ+Shift+Tab

WinKey+Shift+Tab

Cycle through "Metro" (Windows 8) apps in reverse order

ÿ++

WinKey+Plus

Zoom in (via Magnifier, which autostarts)

ÿ+-

WinKey+Minus

Zoom out (via Magnifier)

ÿ+Esc

WinKey+Escape

Cancel zoom, if enabled

ÿ+.

WinKey+Period

Cycle through snapping an app to the right, to the left and unsnapping it

ÿ+Shift+.

WinKey+Shift+Period

Cycle through snapping an app to the left, to the right and unsnapping it

Alt+↑

Alt+Up Arrow

In Windows Explorer navigate one folder up in the folder hierarchy

Ctrl+Shift+N

In Windows Explorer this creates a new folder

Alt+Enter

Equivalent of right-clicking an item in Windows Explorer and choosing Properties

Shift+right-click on an item in Windows Explorer

Enables extended Send To menu (has many more items in it). Also adds Copy as Path to the context menu.

Shift+right-click on a folder

Adds in context menu command: Open command window here. This starts cmd.exe with the current directory being the folder in question.

Ctrl+Shift+Enter

In Start screen's Apps search results launches app as Administrator

Shift+Alt+Prt Sc

left Shift+left Alt+Print Screen

Toggle High Contrast mode

Ctrl+Alt+↑

Ctrl+Alt+Up Arrow

Rotate screen to default orientation default

Ctrl+Alt+→

Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow

Rotate screen orientation 90 degrees from default

Ctrl+Alt+↓

Ctrl+Alt+Down Arrow

Rotate screen orientation 180 degrees from default

Ctrl+Alt+←

Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow

Rotate screen orientation 270 degrees from default

ÿ+,

WinKey+Comma

Makes all windows transparent so you can see the desktop until you release the keys. Equivalent to (invisible) desktop peek button to right of Task Bar’s notification area. This was done by ÿ+Space in Windows 7

ÿ+↑

WinKey+Up Arrow

Maximise window. Same as dragging window’s title bar to top of screen.

ÿ+↓

WinKey+Down Arrow

Restore maximised window, or minimise restored window

ÿ+←

WinKey+Left Arrow

Alternately expand windows to fill left half of screen, expand to fill right half of screen or restore to previous size. Dragging window’s title bar to left edge of screen also expands window to fill left half of screen.

ÿ+→

WinKey+Right Arrow

Alternately expand windows to fill right half of screen, expand to fill left half of screen or restore to previous size. Dragging window’s title bar to right edge of screen also expands window to fill right half of screen.

ÿ+Home

WinKey+Home

Minimise all but the active window. You can get the same effect by clicking on a window’s title bar and shaking it about (known as Aero Shake)

ÿ+Shift+↑

WinKey+Shift+Up Arrow

Maximise window vertically (leave width unchanged). This is the same as double-clicking the window’s top or bottom resize border

ÿ+Shift+←

WinKey+Shift+Left Arrow

Move window to the monitor on the left

ÿ+Shift+→

WinKey+Shift+Right Arrow

Move window to the monitor on the right

ÿ+PgUp

WinKey+Page Up

Move Start screen and "Metro" (Windows 8) apps to the monitor on the left

ÿ+PgDn

WinKey+Page Down

Move Start screen and "Metro" (Windows 8) apps to the monitor on the right

ÿ+<digit>

WinKey+<a number>

Start app pinned on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed, or switch to it if already open

ÿ+Shift+<digit>

WinKey+Shift+<a number>

Start new instance of app pinned on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed. Shift-clicking the item does the same.

Shift+click a Task Bar button

Same as ÿ+Shift+<digit>

ÿ+Ctrl+Shift+<digit>

WinKey+Ctrl+Shift+<a number>

Start new instance of app pinned on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed running as administrator. Ctrl+Shift-clicking the item does the same.

Ctrl+Shift+click a Task Bar button

Same as ÿ+Ctrl+Shift+<digit>

ÿ+Ctrl+<digit>

WinKey+Ctrl+<a number>

Cycle through open windows of app pinned on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed

ÿ+Alt+<digit>

WinKey+Alt+<a number>

Show the Jump List for the item on the Task Bar at the position corresponding to the number pressed